WHO: Scientists and students focused on environmental antibiotic resistance(AR).

WHAT: A workshop to discuss and debate best available methodsto measure antibiotics, track AR bacteria and AR genes, and determining background/baseline levels of resistance.

HOW: Participants will meet and then break out in three working groups each focused on the following themes: 1) challenges of measuring background and natural levels of resistance, 2) accurate quantification of trace concentrations of antibiotics in environmental samples, and 3) microbiological methods for tracking resistant bacteria and genes.International researcher oriented workshop format with focus on AR in soil and water

Meeting Facilities: Biosphere2 Conference Center, Oracle, Arizona

Meeting Outcomes: Identification of tools and quality control measures for tracking antibiotics, antibiotic resistant (AR) bacteria andantibiotic resistance (AR) genes farm to fork that can be used to inform quantitative risk assessment models. Establishment of a cooperative network of researchers and students focusedon occurrence of antibiotics and AR in agroecosystems that can serve as thebasis for collaborative cross-laboratory validation of the identified tracking tools.